Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-23

Boston Letter in the Providence Journal
That the most humiliating feature OF modern
society is to be found In the artces OF those who
wish to "get on" In the fashionable world has Of
ten enough been remarked; yet there is stu room
| for amazement at the ingenuity OF the devices to
which snobs will resort. We have had q good
| many weddings recently In the neighborhood OF
Boston, and among other brides OF high social DO
s1ttOn has been Miss H., whose family is rather
noted for Its exclusiveness. When the Invitations
who is really devOured by social ambition was not
included in the list OF guests. She had met Mrs.
prieties OF etiquette in the manner in which she
had called upon that exclusive lady. Now, she
was doubtless much chagrined at not receiving a
caru for a wedding which was to be a very large
one, but she was by no means ready to abandon
the field. On the day after the Invitations went
out Mrs. A. sent Miss y. a valuable and well-se-
iected piece OF plate as a wedding gift Miss ",
In the privacy OF select circle OF intimate friends
declared that she would not have the present. II
was urged upon her that she certainly could not
return 1t.
But will not acknowledge It'll, she declared
"But then, my dear, :" her mother said, "you will
be putting yourself in the wrong. You cannot be
rude, and especially to a nobody like Mrs. A."
not invite her anyway. This is my wedding. and
will have whom please. She can't buy an in.
Ba wiah eeT Oh
and She appeared at the wedding with the air OF
being the most intimate friend OF the family 1t
"A.
clever enough to make the fact that she was there
tell for good deal In her struggle up the social
heights.
A still more amazing trick was resorted to by a
Boston lady this winter to get to reception where
sne wished TO appear. She wrote to the hostess,
she had a lady htghin Washington society staying
with her, and that 1t was SO much the custom in
washington TO attend receptions unlimited that
nef friend mad seen no Improperly in telling some
acquaintances that she would meet them at this
gathering. The note went on to say that hostess
Ine writer was put in so awkward a position that
She had ventured to lay the case before the lady
giving the entertainment, hoping that she would
De Wiling TO send cards to herself and the stranger
On thls occasion the scheme was a failure. The
note was answered merely by formal regret that
the !lst OF guests having been MADE up before the
n Up, OF note It was impossible to com
ply WIN her request. The lady from Washington
probably never knew or the use made OF her name
ton.
And speaking OF the Washington vice OF intrud.
| Ing upon social gatherings, witch has become Sc
lnuch OF scandal that 1T Is strange hOstesses al
the capital do not In selfdefense, the de-
vice or demanding cards at the door, lady OF that
| city told me recently OF her own experience.
wher SENT mt 1H n sne said Ito 800 ANY
about 600 guests l ordered supper for u thou.
sand. About twelve hundred came. When sup.
dining-room and OF course the unlimited were
1lrSt on hand. Not very long after went myself
10 see that the Vile OF Senator O., whom eSpeci
ally wanted to be polite to, had something to eat
| Ihe dining room looked as II 1t had been sacked
by famiShed army. l looked about and said tC
her: Mrs. q, there is candle on that table, II
you are Russian enough to eat it; and over there
is nall an orange That Is positively all thert
was left, and the caterer said was fortunate tina,
| nlture. Party giving in Washington has come tG
| mere opening your house to q mob OF people you
wouldn't know for the world, and for my part am
sick OF It. shall give dinner parties hereafter
| That Will take care OF the people most care
| about and the rest must CO."
Happily we have not come to this in Boston, bu,
| people do make frantic efforts to get into the
proper sets, resorting to tricks too snobbsh and
mean TO be endurabe or, indeed, believable, did
| not one know that they exist,